Nintendo files new patents relevant to Palworld case

Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have been filing new patents, possibly to strengthen potential US litigation against Pocketpair game Palworld.

Currently, Nintendo is pursuing legal action against Pocketpair in Japanese courts, but recent patent filings suggest a future move in US courts.

Nintendo has been updating and filing patents related to game mechanics. One such patent covers characters on a playing field throwing objects and summoning fighting characters for battle.

The patent describes two modes where a player character launches items or fighting characters in a virtual space.

In response to the patent and litigation, Palworld removed Pal Spheres from the game to reduce similarity to Pokeballs.

A new patent was filed on February 11, possibly to broaden the coverage of game mechanics from Palworld.

Nintendo is seeking an interview with the patent examiner who rejected most claims in a recent filing, aiming to convince them to permit more than one claim.

Despite challenges with Nintendo, Palworld and Pocketpair continue to update the game, plan for the future, and explore opportunities for publishing indies.